Skip to main content

Application of CFD Tools to Optimize Natural Building Ventilation Design

  • Conference paper
Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2012 (ICCSA 2012)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNTCS,volume 7335))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

The use of natural ventilation systems may contribute considerably to the reduction of the energy consumption, while providing adequate comfort levels and hygiene standards for the occupants. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques are becoming increasingly attractive in the design of ventilation systems. In this work, tests on a validated CFD model, which simulates the air flow inside a standard building, were carried out in order to obtain a suitable tool to predict ventilation performance and therefore optimize the building ventilation design. The model solves the mass, momentum and energy for the air flow, coupled with the k-ε turbulence model. The equations are solved by a FV discretization technique in a structured grid. Appropriated boundary conditions and the dimension of the domain were studied for more accuracy in numeric simulation. The influence of the free stream velocity profile and wind direction upon the efficiency of a natural ventilation system under isothermal conditions has been tested. The results obtained so far confirm the validity of the implemented model and its possible use for the optimal design of natural ventilation systems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Chen, Q.: Ventilation performance prediction for buildings: a method overview and recent applications. Building and Environment 44, 848–858 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ferziger, J.H., Peric, M.: Computational methods for fluid dynamics, 3rd edn. Springer (2003), http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0898122103900460 (cited November 24, 2011)

  3. Asfour, O.S., Gadi, M.B.: Using CFD to investigate ventilation characteristics of vaults as wind-inducing devices in buildings. Applied Energy 85(12), 1126–1140 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Lin, Z., Chow, T.T., Tsang, C.F., Fong, K.F., Chan, L.S., Shum, W.S., Tsai, L.: Effect of internal partitions on the performance of under floor air supply ventilation in a typical office environment. Building and Environment 44(3), 534–545 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Norton, T., Grant, J., Fallon, R., Sun, D.-W.: Optimising the ventilation configuration of naturally ventilated livestock buildings for improved indoor environmental homogeneity. Building and Environment 45(4), 983–995 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Bangalee, M.Z.I., Lin, S.Y., Miau, J.J.: Wind driven natural ventilation through multiple windows of a building: A computational approach. Energy and Buildings 45, 317–325 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. El-Agouz, S.A.: The effect of internal heat source and opening locations on environment natural ventilation. Energy and Buildings 40(4), 409–418 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Su, X., Zhang, X., Gao, J.: Evaluation method of natural ventilation system based on thermal comfort in China. Energy and Buildings 41(1), 67–70 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kaye, N.B., Ji, Y., Cook, M.J.: Numerical simulation of transient flow development in a naturally ventilated room. Building and Environment 44(5), 889–897 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wang, L., Chen, Q.: Theoretical and numerical studies of coupling multizone and CFD models for building air distribution simulations. Indoor Air 17(5), 348–361 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Wang, L., Wong, N.H.: Coupled simulations for naturally ventilated rooms between building simulation (BS) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for better prediction of indoor thermal environment. Building and Environment 44(1), 95–112 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Oropeza-Perez, I., Østergaard, P.A., Remmen, A.: Ventilated buildings optimization by using a coupled thermal-airflow simulation program. In: Proceedings of Building Simulation 2011, 12th Conference of International Building Performance Simulation Association, Sydney, November 14-16, pp. 2666–2671 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Zhou, L., Haghighat, F.: Optimization of ventilation system designs and operation in office environment, Part I: Methodology. Building and Environment 44(4), 651–656 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Stavrakakisa, G.M., Zervasa, P.L., Sarimveisb, H., Markatosa, N.C.: Optimization of window-openings design for thermal comfort in naturally ventilated buildings. Applied Mathematical Modeling 36(1), 193–211 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Teixeira, J.C., Lomba, R.S., Lobarinhas, P.M., Seabra, E., Silva, L.F.: The Influence of Boundary Conditions on the Natural Ventilation in Buildings. In: International Conference on Engineering Education ICEE 2010, Gliwice, Poland, July 18-22 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Versteeg, H.K., Malalasekera, W.: An introduction to computational fluid dynamics: the finite volume method. Longman, Harlow (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  17. ANSYS. ANSYS FLUENT Theory Guide (Internet). ANSYS Inc., Canonsburg (2009), http://www.ansys.com

  18. Tantasavasdi, C., Srebric, J., Chen, Q.: Natural ventilation design for houses in Thailand. Energy and Buildings 33(8), 815–824 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. RCCTE, Regulamento das Características de Comportamento Térmico dos Edifícios, DL 80/2006 de 4 de Abril, Diário da República (67), I Série – A, pp. 2468–2513 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Teixeira, J.C., Lomba, R., Teixeira, S.F.C.F., Lobarinhas, P. (2012). Application of CFD Tools to Optimize Natural Building Ventilation Design. In: Murgante, B., et al. Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2012. ICCSA 2012. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7335. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31137-6_15

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31137-6_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-31136-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-31137-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics